COLUMBIA, Md., USA – Roggenart European Bakery, Bistro and Café is breaking the mold of the typical “chain” café and bakery, and leaving a crumb trail as founder Neman Popov and business partner Brody Tennant continue to expand their footprint. Over the last seven years, Popov has poured his decades of business expertise (along with his love of baking and European café culture) into building his own bistro and bakery from the ground up.
And in the case of his first two locations, that also meant the physical labor to remodel and construct the cafés as he built the Roggenart brand.
Roggenart brings classic European baked goods and coffee to the U.S., but also embraces the new and trendy – like the crookie (croissant and cookie). With headquarters in Howard County, Md., Popov and his team opened his first café and bakery in 2017.
The first three locations – Ellicott City, Columbia and Savage Mill in Maryland – helped to establish the brand as a favorite in the central Maryland region.
Since launching, Roggenart has been recognized as Baltimore Magazine’s Best of Baltimore for its Bread in 2018 and in 2017 as the Best New Bakery, one of the best bakeries and coffee shops in Howard County by Howard Magazine in 2024, and the best pastry shop in Towson, Md. by Quality Business Awards.
Popov and Tennant were also named Entrepreneurs of the Year in 2023 by the Howard County Chamber. They have reimagined the fast-casual bistro and café and in fact, they want their customers to slow down and stay a while.
The pair have opened three new locations of their popular cafés in the last six months, including in Baltimore, Md., in Arlington, Va. and another in the Lincoln Park neighborhood of Chicago. And they have plans to continue their expansion.
“These two locations outside of our central Maryland home are our first big steps toward expanding our footprint,” said Popov.
They have infused each location with uniqueness and with the scents and vibes of great European cafés, with an inviting ambience for guests to set up to work or meet up with friends or just for time for themselves. Each bakery features a menu highlighting items made in small batches, from scratch each day.
“We make everything from our croissants and Danishes to the crookie. The bread we serve our sandwiches on, and the sauces that we use in our baked goods and lunch items are all house made” added Popov.
Popov and Tennant embrace and are inspired by new ideas and that shines through at each of their now seven locations. To find a location, visit www.roggenart.com.
